1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for illuminating a pointer of a meter, installed in a meter device or the like for a vehicle, particularly to a structure for illuminating a pointer of a meter, which is easy to look the pointer throughout the daytime and the nighttime.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a structure for illuminating a pointer of a meter in a meter device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile or the like as shown in FIG. 8 (for example, see FIG. 1, Japanese Utility Model Publication H 6-7310).
In the conventional structure for illuminating the pointer of the meter, the pointer 2 of the meter 1 for the vehicle has a rotating shaft 3, which is inserted rotatably into an opening 5 formed in a dial 4, as shown in FIG. 8.
The pointer 2 has a pointer body 6 made of a translucent material. The dial 4 is located below the pointer 2, and a light guiding member 7 is attached to a lower surface 4a of the dial 4. Light from a light source 8 located below the dial 4 is introduced through the light guiding member 7 into the pointer body 6 of the pointer 2 along an axis of the rotating shaft 3.
Provided within the pointer body 6 is a half translucent light scattering member 9 disposed above the rotating shaft 3, which has an inclined reflecting surface 9a which reflects illuminating light introduced in the pointer body 6 upwardly to direct it to a leading end 6b of the pointer body 6 and transmits the illuminating light to direct upwardly toward an upper surface 6a of the pointer body 6. A hot stamp 10 is disposed throughout approximately the entire length of the upper surface 6a of the pointer body 6.
In the conventional structure for illuminating the pointer of the meter configured as described above and shown in FIG. 8, the illumination light directing upwardly along the rotating shaft 3 is scattered by the scattering member 9. Consequently, after the pointer body 6 and the scattering member 9 are configured separately, the scattering member 9 must be assembled to the pointer body 6, and therefore the number of parts is increased and good workability for assembling is not acquired.
Although the hot stamp 10 is provided on the upper surface 6a of the pointer body 6 so that functional parts of the scattering member 9 and so on within the pointer body 6 are not viewed from an outside area, because a process for providing the hot stamp 10 is added, there is a problem that manufacturing cost is much.